Matzzie states that green tech is “one of the often-overlooked growth areas in consumer electronics.” He gives a great rundown of some green gems he found at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show last week in Las Vegas, proving that green tech is evolving. Here are his top three.

Smart Home Energy Management

Applications such as Google’s Power Meter let consumers program their thermostats from their computers or phones wherever they are. Mattzie’s caveat: “Most of what I've seen in this area costs hundreds of dollars, so I will be looking around to see what I can find in the sub $100 range.”

Electric Cars

Ford CEO Alan Mulally gave a keynote address and the Ford Focus 2012 electric car is reportedly on display.

Smart Grid

Utility companies across the country are upgrading to smart meters that will enable a whole range of energy-conserving applications. Mattzie comments: “This is a huge and growing part of the green tech economy.”

Batteries That Really Work

Mattzie applauds PowerMat and Mophie for attempting to make up for the substandard batteries in most consumer electronics.